Stereoscope.



H. W. HALES.

STEBEOSCOPE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3l. |916. 1,230,705. Pnd June 19, 1917.

I By l ATTORNEYS HENRY W. HALES, OF RIDG-EWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

STEREOSGOPE.

To all whom t may concern."

Be it known that I, HENRY W. Hanns, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Ridgewood, in the county of Bergen and State of NewVJersey, have `invented a new and Improved Stereoscope, of vwhich thefollowing is afull, clear, and exact description.

The ordinary stereoscopes now in general use are excellent instrumentsbut are exceedingly bulky and clumsy and when not in use are alwaysexposed to dust and dirt and also more or less inthe way. It is alsodifficult torv use kdifferent thicknesses of views or The focusing isnot easy, and there is no arrangement for clamping the instrument whenthe correct focus has been obtained. The object of this invention istoovercome these defects and to make a more portable and universalinstrument and one that is particularly adapted'for the use ofcommercial salesmen to show to prospective customers pictures of themerchandise they have to sell, as its extreme compactness allows it tobe carried readily in the pocket. There are other advantages also whichwill appear from the following description.

In order to accomplish the desired result, use is made of a box having aslidable cover provided at its outer end with means for supporting astereoscopic picture, and a lens carrier pivoted in the forward end ofthe box, the lens carrier in one position extending vertically and withthe lenses a distance above the box to permit'of viewing thestereoscopic picture held on the cover, and the said lens carrier inanother position extending'within the box below the cover.'

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying draw-` ings forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of'reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a plan view ofthe 'stereoscope with parts in extendedposition ready for use, parts being sho-wn in section;`

Fig. 2 is a sectionalside elevation of the same; i

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same on the Fig. 4 is a reducedperspective 4view ofl the stereoscope with the parts in folded position.A rectangular and somewhat shallow box Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed. October S1, 191,6.

Patented 'June 19, 191'?.

serial No. 128,680. i

ber 12 with a centering notch 14 to permit of correctly centeringthe'stereoscopic picture 13 on top of the cover 11 by sliding thc saidpicture transversely until the middle of the picture is in register withthe notch 14. The clamping member 12 is provided with. guide pins 15mounted to slide lengthwise of the cover 11 in suitable bearings 16attached to or formed on the under side of the said cover 11, and theforward ends of the guide pins 15 are connected with springs 17 fastenedto the under side of the cover 11. By the arrangement described theclamping member 12 can be moved rearward against the tension of thesprings 17 to allow of inserting and clamping a stereoscopic picture v13ofany desired thickness, it being understood that the pressure of thesprings 17 hold the clamping member 12 in firm clamping contact with theback of the lower portion of the picture 13. The clamping member 12 isadapted to close the rear end of the box 10 at the time the cover 11 ismoved into closed position, as shown in Fig. 4. The guide lpins 15 serveas a rest and stop for the lower edge of the stereoscopic picture andhold the latter in correct position for viewing purposes.

In vthe forward end of the box 10 is pivoted a lens carrier 2O by theuse of pivots or trunnions 21 engaging the sides of the box 10, and thelens carrier.2O is preferably inthe formrof a plate and is provided withviewing apertures'22 covered at the rear by the usual stereoscopiclenses 23. The lens carrier 2O is pressed on at its pivotal end by aspring 24 having one end attached to the carrier andthe other endresting on the upper face of vthe bottom of the box 10, so that thespring 24 tends to swing the lens carrier 2() upward from foldedposition within the box (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) into a verticalrposition, as

shown in full lines in Figs. l, 2, and 3, and with the lower faceportion of the carrier 20 abutting against the end 25 of the box 10,thus Ylimiting the swinging movement of the carrier 20 and holding thesame in vertical position with the lenses ,23 the correct distance abovethe box for properly viewing the stereoscopic picture 13. In order to`obtain the proper focus for the observer, the cover 1l is moved outwardor inward until the correct focus is obtained, and for this purpose useis preferably lmade of a rack 25 attached to the under side of the coverl1 and in -mesh with a pinion 26 secured on a transverse shaft 27journaled vin the sides of the box 10. One end of the shaft 27 isprovided with a suitable knob or handle v23 to permit the user toconveniently turn the shaft 27 with a view to canse the pinion 26 toimpart a forward or backward movement to the rack 27 andthe cover 11according to the direction 'in which the knob or handle 28 is turned atthe time.

In order to hold the cover 11 in an adjusted position, use vis made of aclamping rod 30 extending `through the sides of the box 10 near the rearthereof, and this clamping rod 30 is provided at one end with a head 31resting against the outer face of one of the .box sides. The other endr32 of the clamping rod 30 is provided with screw threads on whichscrews a nut 33, preferably in the form of a milled head adapted to abutagainst the outer face of the other box side so that when the nut 33 .isscrewed up thesides are drawn together suiiciently to clamp the cover 11in the adjusted position. 'The clamping rod 30 is provided next thescrew threads with a head 34 to limit the outward screwing Aof the nut33 thus preventing the nutfrom being completely unscrewed from theclamping rod 30 and lost. It is understood that when the nut-33 isscrewed outward until it abuts against the head 34 then the box sidesare released and the cover 11 is free to slide in and out of the box 10.

In practice, the sides of the fcover 1l are preferably provided withtongues 35 `engaging grooves 36 formed. .in the ,inner faces of thesides of the box 10 to 'insure .a proper sliding of the cover 11 on thcbox body. A spring 40 is attached tothe upper side of the bottom of thebox body 10 and bears with its free end against the under side of thecover 1l .so as to hold the latter in any adjusted position it may lbeymoved fto for focusing purposes by `the user of the stereoscope. Thefree end -of .the spring 40- i-s adaptedte engage ashoulder 41 formed onthe under :side of the .cover 11 neasr the 'forward end thereof to limitthe outward sliding movementof `the cover llon the box l0 thus.preventing the cover from becoming accidentally detached from the boxbody. IVhen it is desired, however, to remove the cover l11 it is onlynecessary fortheoperator to press the spring 40 sufiiciently downward toclear .the shoulder 41 to allow of pulling the cover llout ofthebox 10.

When the stereoscope is not in use, the

-lens carrier 2O is swung downward into the box 10 and the cover 11 isthen moved into closed position so that the lens carrier 20 is confinedwithin the box 10, and when the cover l11 'is movedout into openposition the lens carrier 20 is swung upward into vertical extendedposition by the action of vits spring 24. Thus ythe stereoscope isimmediately ready for use, it being necessary only to insert the picture13 between the rear end of the cover l1 and its clamping member '12, andto then move the cover 11 in or out by turning the knob 28correspondingly luntil the correct focus is obtained. Y

'Ihe stereoscope shown and 'described is very simple 'and `durable 'inconstruction,

and composed of comparatively few partsV not liable yto get easily outoforder.

Having thus described my invention, "I claim as new .and desire tosecure by Letters Patent Y l. A stereoscope, comprising abex'having aslidable cover provided `at its rear end with a transversely extendingclamping member adapted to close'the rear end of the box and to clampthe lower portion .of a stereoscopic picture against the rear end of thecover.

2. A stereoscopecomprising a box having a slidable cover provided atlthe under side adjacent the rear end with bearings, a clamping member.provided with lguide pins vslidable in :the said'bea'rings, the saidclamping member being adapted to coact with the rear end of the-cover,to clamp a stereoscopic picture between'them, and springs y'attached tothe vunder side of the cover and connected with v@the said yguide pins.

3. Astereoscope, comprising a `boxfhaving a .slidable cover provided atits outer .end with .means for supporting ya .stereoscopic picture, alens carrier pivoted in -rthefforward end of .thebox, the `lens carrierin one position extending verticallyV and "with the lensesl a distanceabove the box, and i-n another position extending within't-he'box `belowthe cover, the under side of the boxl cover being provided near itsforward -end with a shoulder, anda spring secured to ithe bottom of thebox and having its free end bearing against the under side of the coveron moving the cover inward or outward for focusing purposes to hold thecoverv in 'the adjusted position, the terminal ofthe spring beingadapted vto abut .against the said shoulder to Ylimit the outwardmovement of the cover.

4. A stereoscope, comprising :t box having dle with e centering notchadjacent the said a slidable cover provided at its rear end'Withclamping member to permit of centering the a transversely extendingclamping member stereoscopic picture, and a lens carrier sup- 10 adaptedto close the rear end of the box and porting lenses and located on theother end 5 to clamp the lower portion of a stereoscopic of the box.

picture against the rear end of the cover, the top of the cover beingprovided at its .midl HENRY W. HALLES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

